Book 2 / Chapter 7
Paragraph 4 - The Mean, Extremes, and Virtuous Dispositions in Interpersonal Interactions
Explanation - Part By Part
"There are also three other means, which have a certain likeness to one another, but differ from one another: for they are all concerned with intercourse in words and actions, but differ in that one is concerned with truth in this sphere, the other two with pleasantness; and of this one kind is exhibited in giving amusement, the other in all the circumstances of life."
Aristotle is now introducing three new areas where finding the "mean" is key to virtuous behavior. These areas all deal with how we interact with others through what we say and do. However, they are different from one another because each focuses on distinct aspects of social interactions:
1. One focuses on truthfulness—how honest and genuine a person is in communication.
2. The other two focus on pleasantness—how enjoyable or agreeable a person is to be around. Pleasantness is then split further into:
- Pleasantness in humor or giving amusement (like being witty or entertaining in the right way).
- Pleasantness in general, when dealing with others in everyday life (like being friendly and agreeable in conversation and conduct).
Aristotle is setting the stage to explain these categories in detail, emphasizing how each has its own "mean" (ideal balance) that is praiseworthy, while going too far or not far enough (the extremes) leads to flaws in character.
"We must therefore speak of these too, that we may the better see that in all things the mean is praise-worthy, and the extremes neither praiseworthy nor right, but worthy of blame. Now most of these states also have no names, but we must try, as in the other cases, to invent names ourselves so that we may be clear and easy to follow."
Aristotle is emphasizing the importance of discussing these examples of virtues and vices because it helps us clearly understand his main point: virtues are about achieving a balanced "mean" between extremes. This balanced state is worthy of praise and represents the right way to live, while the extremes—either having too much or too little—are flawed and deserve criticism. He also points out that many of these traits and states do not already have specific names, so he proposes inventing terms to make the ideas clear and easier to communicate. The key point here is that understanding and naming these "means" and their extremes helps us grasp the concept of finding balance in all aspects of life.
"With regard to truth, then, the intermediate is a truthful sort of person and the mean may be called truthfulness, while the pretence which exaggerates is boastfulness and the person characterized by it a boaster, and that which understates is mock modesty and the person characterized by it mock-modest."
Here, Aristotle is focusing on how people handle truth and honesty, relating it to his idea of finding a balanced "mean" between two extremes. A person who displays the right balance in being truthful is someone who is sincere or honest—this is what Aristotle calls "truthfulness," which is the ideal.
On the other hand, the extremes are either exaggeration or understatement when expressing the truth:
1. Boastfulness: This is when a person inflates or exaggerates the truth, often to make themselves seem more impressive. Someone who does this is referred to as a "boaster."
2. Mock modesty: This is the opposite, where someone downplays or diminishes the truth intentionally, often to appear overly humble or reserved. Someone who falls into this extreme is described as "mock-modest."
Aristotle emphasizes that the balanced approach—truthfulness—is praiseworthy, while the extremes are flawed and less virtuous. It's about being honest without overdoing or underplaying the reality of things.
"With regard to pleasantness in the giving of amusement the intermediate person is ready-witted and the disposition ready wit, the excess is buffoonery and the person characterized by it a buffoon, while the man who falls short is a sort of boor and his state is boorishness."
Aristotle is talking about how people behave when it comes to humor and making others laugh. According to him, there's a balanced way to handle humor, which he calls being "ready-witted"—this is the ideal middle ground where someone shows the right sense of humor at the right time and in the right way.
On one end, there’s an excess of humor, which he calls "buffoonery." A person who behaves this way, a "buffoon," tries too hard to be funny, often in an obnoxious or over-the-top manner that can become inappropriate or annoying.
On the other end, there’s a deficiency of humor, which he describes as "boorishness." A "boor" lacks humor entirely, or doesn't engage in amusement and light-heartedness, making them overly serious, stiff, or even unpleasant to be around in moments where humor is appropriate.
In simple terms, Aristotle is saying: when it comes to humor, it’s all about balance. Too much can be annoying, too little can make someone dull, but finding the middle ground makes for enjoyable and pleasant interaction.
"With regard to the remaining kind of pleasantness, that which is exhibited in life in general, the man who is pleasant in the right way is friendly and the mean is friendliness, while the man who exceeds is an obsequious person if he has no end in view, a flatterer if he is aiming at his own advantage, and the man who falls short and is unpleasant in all circumstances is a quarrelsome and surly sort of person."
Aristotle is talking here about how people interact with others in everyday life, specifically in terms of pleasantness or how agreeable they are. He explains that the best way to approach this is to aim for a "middle ground" or a balance, which he calls the "mean." In this case, the mean is friendliness—being pleasant in a way that feels natural, genuine, and appropriate to the situation.
If someone goes to the extreme of being overly pleasant, there are two possibilities depending on their intentions. If they act overly nice for no real reason or purpose, Aristotle calls them obsequious, meaning they are excessively submissive or eager to please (like a people-pleaser). But if they are being excessively agreeable because they want to get something for themselves, Aristotle labels them a flatterer—someone who is manipulating others by being overly nice to serve their own interests.
On the other end, if someone isn't pleasant at all and consistently behaves in a harsh or disagreeable way, Aristotle describes them as quarrelsome and surly. These are people who are difficult, unpleasant, or argumentative in almost every situation.
The key takeaway is that, when it comes to how we interact with others, neither being overly agreeable nor consistently unpleasant is good. Instead, aiming for balanced, sincere friendliness is the most virtuous and praiseworthy way to behave.